Trustee Scholars Program

The Trustee Scholarship is Boston University’s most distinguished merit scholarship available to incoming students. The goal of the Trustee Scholarship is to enable our students to pursue their passions, no matter where they lead.

To that end, the Trustee Scholars are not required to follow any set curriculum or take any specific classes. And while many of our students do enroll in BU’s Kilachand Honors College, they need not do so.

Additionally, Trustee Scholars have the option of living in a historic brownstone at the heart of BU’s campus with other recipients of the scholarship, but may choose to live anywhere on campus that they like.

Who We Are

Trustee Scholars comprise a group of just over 70 undergraduate students from across the country and around the world. Current scholars attended high school in places as far afield as Ankara, Turkey and Singapore, or as close to Boston as North Andover and Worcester.

Scholars are enrolled in colleges across the BU campus and work in an incredible array of disciplines, including: television and film writing, neuroscience, acting, Chinese language and literature, biomedical engineering, and linguistics. Trustee scholars are actors, activists, and entrepreneurs. They are volunteers, emerging scholars, and campus leaders. With the Trustee Scholarship, you can do anything and everything at BU.

The Trustee Scholar Experience

During the academic year, Trustee Scholars have the opportunity to participate in a variety of social, cultural, and intellectual programs. Every semester features a faculty reception, during which Scholars and invited professors gather to hear a speaker and socialize over drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Trustee Scholars also have the option to participate in multiple outings each semester that allow students to explore Boston’s cultural offerings. These might include a night at the theater or symphony, a foreign film showing, or a special exhibit at one of Boston’s museums. These nights out are always accompanied by a dinner, which gives Scholars a chance to meet or catch up with each other.

Learn more about the Trustee Scholar experience.

Application Details

Every year, BU welcomes approximately 20 outstanding students to the Trustee Scholars Program. Information for incoming students about the application process is located on the University Admissions website.

For more information, contact Prof. April Hughes, Faculty Director of the Trustee Scholars Program: adhughes@bu.edu